The last few years has definitely showed a shift in traditional fishing patterns for our area, but this year has been the most extreme for sure. The flat calm summer and east fishing June and July historically provided was plagued with rough seas and tough fishing. August traditionally winds down, leading into September that use to be the worst month of the year.

We saw the best seas and great fishing in August and the outlook for September so far is phenomenal.

All of our fishing is picking up right now and everyday is a sheet of glass. The live bait trolling has and will continue to be phenomenal. That morning bite is where it’s at so if your wanting to sleep in, I highly suggest you reconsider.

September cobia fishing will be on point if the latter part of August was any indicator. Catch them live bait trolling, off the bottom, sight fishing and off the backs of sharks and turtles.

Bottom fishing is primed now that the cold and dark of the thermocline is going away. Chicken rig, chicken rig, chicken rig! Did I say chicken rig? Porgys, vermillions, lane snapper, trigger fish are on the feed. Let some other dummy break their back and waste their day fishing for grouper all day. Groupers will bite but you will weed through a lot of red snapper and odds are your grouper will get taxed on the way up if you finally get one turned.

If you like blue water trolling, the seaweed seems to be manageable finally. Run the gauntlet and don’t be lazy. Teaser, dink baits, feathers and big deep water baits. Put in your time and find a area that looks remotely fishy and you will put together a day with a couple mahi, and a bonus wahoo, sailfish or blackfin tuna to boot.

Flat calm sunny days make for great deep drop fishing. Put in your time and don’t be afraid to jump around. You will land on some golden tiles fish and maybe a nice snowy or yellowedge grouper as a bonus.

Go to the other side. Everyone always thinks it’s too hot. Maybe it is but it’s flat calm and the few with the gonzaga’s to roll the dice have been steadily getting rewarded.

Times are changing, maybe it’s environmental factors, maybe fisheries management factors, maybe we are just fishing totally different now due to regulations but one things for sure. If your not making adjustments then you are missing out.